Sep 05, 2023

At this time, Austin Pets Alive! has made the troublesome resolution to supply a 30-day discover to finish our veterinary companies contract with Laredo Animal Care Companies (LACS).

After we started our partnership with LACS earlier this 12 months, on the request of the Laredo metropolis council and neighborhood, it was with the whole-hearted intention to assist meet town’s objectives of offering medical care and practices that additional saved lives. Each vaccine given and illness prevented, medical remedy administered, surgical procedure performed, and animal transported to a different rescue companion was completed to not solely fulfill our contractual obligations however as an ethical obligation to the pets being sheltered within the metropolis. We heard from neighborhood member after neighborhood member how a lot it meant to them that their metropolis shelter may turn out to be extra aligned with the phrase “shelter” — offering true security and care to pets which can be misplaced, displaced or deserted.

We’re very happy with the work we did alongside most of the devoted LACS employees members. The final eight months have led to greater than 1,000 spay/neuter surgical procedures (an approx 400% improve from the earlier Veterinary vendor) and raised the feline reside end result fee to a historic excessive of over 70%. Canine and cats that had been as soon as euthanized for having one thing so simple as a chilly had been handled and lots of have already been adopted.

Sadly, we had been met with resistance from shelter management. Over the previous few months because the adjustments required turned extra actual, and onerous, the objectives of LACS shifted away from a lifesaving focus and again towards working at a decrease capability for care and lifesaving. This strategy implies that 1000’s of animals who ought to reside lengthy wholesome lives will proceed to die as a way to meet a regressive aim. We can’t in good conscience proceed working below such a drastic diversion from the unique objectives town council laid out for us to comply with.

It hurts our hearts to go away so many pets and folks behind however we consider that now we have no different alternative. Our true hope is that Laredoans noticed that life saving was potential and that they are going to demand the adjustments essential to be a humane metropolis for beloved pets.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ellen Jefferson

President and CEO

Austin Pets Alive!